The Jorn Hilme Festival is held at Tyinvegen in Fagernes Town, Norway. You can easily drive there from Oslo, via the north-bound Tyinvegen 27 highway, which will only take a maximum of three hours. In the last 49 editions of the festival, the main Jorn Hilme venue has been the Valdres Folk Museum, locally referred to as the Valdres Folkemuseum. However, most of the 15 concerts in the Jorn Hilme festivals and dances too, are offered in two different venues. These include the Quality Hotel, offering catering services as well as accommodation, and then the museum.
Though a small town, Fagernes is the economic and social region centre of the Valdres region. In the last two decades, the town has grown significantly, and has become a modern destination for tourists from all over the world. Tourists can choose to stay at the quality, hospitable, conducive and relatively cheap accommodation sites in Fagernes, or opt to seek even better facilities in Oslo. Oslo is a first class tourist attraction center with fine hotels and guest houses reputed for hospitality, class and finesse, than anywhere else in Northern Europe. Of late, there is an influx of wealthy hoteliers setting up shop in Oslo, from all over the world, especially from Netherlands.
For those who opt to stay in Oslo, a well managed, first class bus network avails transportation in the morning and evening, to and from Fagernes. The Nor-Way Bussekspress, a local version of express buses only takes three hours from Oslo to the Jorn Hilme venue. Air transportation is also very convenient, with Fagernes’ local airport, Leirin, being only ten minutes away from the Jorn Hilme venue. From there on, Air Norway will get you to Oslo within thirty minutes. There are also weekly connections by air, from Fagernes to Alborg, Denmark. The flight only takes an hour and 15 minutes.
Besides being a hub center of the Valdres region, Fagernes has a standing reputation for world-class catering services, mostly in traditional Norwegian foods, during the festival. All other types of European food are served alongside the Norwegian dishes, to offer a wide range of choice for visitors. Whether or not you are prepared for it, Norwegian food is simply a treat. Soon or later, you will find yourself with a plate of fermented and salted trout, char or any other fresh water fish, served raw with fruits and vegetables like potatoes, tomatoes, onions, chili, lefes and a sour cream. This is a local delicacy, and once you taste, you will never regret.
There are a host of camping sites and informal concerts offered during the festival, and guests can spend different nights at different outdoor festivities. It is actually the norm, among the Norwegians, to hold impromptu outdoor dances, locally called bush concerts. After a visit through the local mountain farms, tourists can be hosted by Norwegian families like long lost friends or relatives. It is a custom among the Norwegians, to take guests around their farms and explain every sort of thing that might be of interest, something very unique and unduplicated by the chaotic central European cities of modern times. To most tourists, it is an experience out of this world, laced with kindness, friendliness, generosity and honor, yet without conditions or cost.
There are many other attractions accessible to tourists, nationals or foreigners, while at the festival. All these are served by elaborate and convenient bus connections to destinations as far as Lillehammer, Beitostolen, Jotunheimen and also Sogn. Jotunheimen is the largest mountainous area of Norway, and it hosts a massive national park ideal for hiking. While awaiting evening concerts or dance sessions, visitors to Fagernes can take a drive to the mountains and enjoy the natural scenery, among very friendly nationals. The Peer Gynt story that was written by the famous author, Henrik Ibsen, also narrates about the Besseggen Mountain, still in the region. The story made the mountain so famous that most visitors never leave before taking a drive to the outskirts of the mountain.